Pre-Payment Final Bill from BG

Penny2myName

I have been getting my electric from British Gas, This is my dilemma...

I have recently changed from a prepayment meter to a normal one. In August last year I was apparently £124.49 in debit because they hadn't changed my tariff, so when they put the new key token meter in, they added this as a debt to my meter and so £5 has been coming off weekly for it. Anyhow, the debt incurred by them not changing my tariff previously was finally paid off 4 weeks ago and I called and asked for a normal meter to be installed. They have install the normal meter and sent me a Final prepayment electricity bill saying I owe £41.53.
Call me thick but since the new key token meter had the correct tariff, and the added debt of £124.49 had been paid off, how the heck can i owe them £41.53 for a PREPAID energy source.

MarkyMarkD

Isn't that because prices went up again after your token meter was put in?

Penny2myName

They came and changed the tariff. looking at each section of their calculations if anything I only owe £24 (still don't know how) Looks like the rest is made up of VAT which I always believed was already added into the prepayment amounts.

MarkyMarkD

I agree - I can't see why they would NOT include VAT in the prepayment amounts they set the meter to.

BritishGasWorker

Penny2myName wrote: »

I have been getting my electric from British Gas, This is my dilemma...

I have recently changed from a prepayment meter to a normal one. In August last year I was apparently £124.49 in debit because they hadn't changed my tariff, so when they put the new key token meter in, they added this as a debt to my meter and so £5 has been coming off weekly for it. Anyhow, the debt incurred by them not changing my tariff previously was finally paid off 4 weeks ago and I called and asked for a normal meter to be installed. They have install the normal meter and sent me a Final prepayment electricity bill saying I owe £41.53.
Call me thick but since the new key token meter had the correct tariff, and the added debt of £124.49 had been paid off, how the heck can i owe them £41.53 for a PREPAID energy source.

There was a price rise in February last year and also September....so it looks like you did not pay for the september prices rise

tripled

Was it a key meter or token meter? Token meters have to be adjusted manually, so they would have had to come around on after after 12th September to adjust it. Any time lag from when prices changed to when the meter was updated would result in debt accruing on the account again. Don't assume just because a meter reader read it or fiddled with it that the thing was actually updated!

Did you always pay using your own card? If you have ever used someone else's card because you couldn't find yours, the payment would have gone onto someone else's account.

If it's a key meter in theory they are supposed to be updated remotely and so always be correct. VAT would be included in the rates on the meter, you wouldn't be billed for it seperately.

BG announced that as of 1st December last year they would no longer be backdating charges for prepayment customers whose meter hadn't been updated after a price change. Whilst you would need to pay for all arrears up until 31st November, if there are any from December onwards ring them up and they may be able to write them off.

Penny2myName

Hi tripled it was a key meter, anyhow finally paid off the dubious 'arrears' yesterday, and I am now in the process of switching to another company, so just one bill remaining to come from them which will be for about 2 months, using just under 9 units a day so I am hoping it will not be too much.